Calculator



May 10, 1949- w. A. WARTINEN 2,469,672

CALCULATOR Filed June l, 1946 F'il.E

7 /Q' INVENKTOR WML/,4M A. Mfr/Nm BY l M, 77km@ ATToRgY Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED OFFICE CALCULATOR William A. Wartinen,

Application June 1, 1946, Serial N o. 673,806

This invention relates to a calculator for use by engravers and letterers in determining the length required for a predetermined number of letters, spaces, etc., as they may occur in one or more words.

Theletters to be engraved or produced are for the most part standardized as to height from center line to center line, and also as to width. Spaces and the spaces required for commas or periods are also relatively Well standardized for each size of letter. The letters 1, spaces, and periods each requires about the same width for any given height of letter, while the letters W and M have similar widths that are different from the other letters in the alphabet. Heretofore in engraving or lettering, the operators have generally relied moreor less on guesswork in determini-ng thelength of a word or words, and thus the positioning of the words is either incorrect in many instances, or else the operator has squeezed or stretchedcertain letters or spaces so as to makethe words end atl approximately the right places. Naturally the character of the work suffers in either case.

The principal object of the present invention is vthe provision of a simple, easily manipulatable calculator to enable the operator to calculate in advance with accuracy the space that will be required for a word or words to be engraved or printed. This calculator isadapted to give the correct answer in terms of standard linear measure that will be required for words, phrases, etc. to be engraved or printed in standard height letters.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawings.

In the drawings, Y

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the calculator.

Fig. 2 is a plan -view of the reverse side of the scale member that is, seen along the lower edge" oi' Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device of Fig. 1 as seen from line3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through Fig. along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

In detail, the calculator, as illustrated, comprises a rectangular plate I. An elongated arm 2, preferably of transparent material, is pivoted to plate I at the upper left hand corner of said plate as seen in Fig. 1. Pivot 3 so pivots arms 2 to said plate, and a straight line 4 may be inscribed on said arm longitudinally thereof from the center of pivot 3.

Extending vertically below pivot 3 is a straight column of spaced graduation marks 5" printed or inscribed on the upper side of plate I. These are preferably numbered, each number indicating the fractional portion of a standard height letter, such as a "/8 inch height letter from center to center. For example. the numeral 2 in said col- 1 claim. (C1. 235T61) shown in groups ll',- .3i-IIL;

Vumn -would identify the graduation mark adjacent thereto with a letter 1A of a 'V8 inch height.

'This'ifollowswith the other numbers identifying thegraduations 5.

Along the lower edge of the plate I is a ledge piece 6 that forms a ledge on its upper side for supporting anelongated scale member lV for sliding of said member'longitudinall'y thereof. This member 'I will be. supported so as to extendacross the lower endV ofthe:columnofgraduation 5 at right anglesto said.'column.t 1 'l f Inscribed or printed on member 'I are several groups of graduatir'ins,` the. graduations in 'each Agroup being similarly 'numbered from ffl?" up in succession. There are three' groups indicated on member l', the said groups 'being generally designated 8, 9, I0 from lefti to rightv as vvseen in Fig. 1.

The graduations Il 'in' group 8 -are equally spaced apart andare successiyelynumbered from l ,to ,.loffstarting fromi thejleft. ,Thelspace between these graduations indicates the width of the averageletters' other than .LefMf or .WJ

The graduations I 2, in; groupv .9 are y equally spaced apart and designatejthe spacesrequired for the letter I Aor.i011sparlesbetween wordsor periods and terminas.;y .Beriods and commas senerally being,calculatedasV the width of an average letter plus the distancebetween an'adjacent pair of graduations in group |2.

The graduationsv lalinerounlll .represent the spacing 4for the .letters ,Mfend-WJ These graduationsare .more .widely spaced than either those ineroup, or 111.1. srounfv..

In groups 9 ithe'graduations therein are respectively numbered Vfrom ."l to 10 V as explained for the -graduations in group@A .Other space designations forjpertain space widths may be used as appearsat the right hand end of; member l, and the reversemsidc may also be Vgraduated for special work ,asl seenA in Fig. 2, but the essential graduationsy for practically every job are A scale strip I5 overlies the plate I between pivot 3 and the scale member 1 and is parallel with the latter. `.This scale strip I5 and scale member` .1 lare adaptedtobe scanned by arm/2 upon swinging the lattenacross the plate about pivot 3, the Isaid scaletrlp and scale member beine below 'the armi-.1@ a .2. f f a -Scale strip I5 hasga 4head-i6 that isadapted to slidably engagQ;the'\lefthand edgecfplate I` in the manner of 4 theheadcf `T-square sothat the strip will be-paralle .mit member; v 'l, at, lall times during sliding of said strip up and down the plate between pivot. 3 ,and memben l, it. beingjunderstood that the edge of the plate engaged by head I6 is at right angles to the length of strip I 5 and member l and parallel with the vertical column of graduations 5 that are adjacent said edge..

A bow spring I1 secured to head I6 at one end is yieldably and frictionally in engagement with the side of plate I opposite the strip I5 and adjacent head IG for frictionally holding the strip in any adjusted position between pivot 3 and member l. A groove I8 may be provided in the side of plate I opposite strip 'I for holding one edge of said spring during sliding movement of the strip i5 up and down, thereby preventing the strip from being pulled off the plate in a direction longitudinally of said strip, and also preventing the strip from becoming dislodged.

The strip I5 carries main graduations I9 on its upper side that are identified by successive numbers starting from l at the left end portion. rIhese graduations are equally spaced apart and indicate a linear measure, such as inches. The Spaces between the main graduations are subdivided to indicate the fractional parts of the inch. The graduations I9 commence on a line extending through pivot 3 and parallel with the edge of the plate adjacent the column of graduations 5. Thus when arm 2 is vertical the line l thereon will extend through the first graduation I9. It is to be understood, of course, that the space between each adjacent pair of graduations I9 is not .1

necessarily one inch. In fact the scale used is considerably reduced.

In operation, taking the name WILLIAM MILLER as an example, the operator may rst decide the height letter he wishes to employ and then moves the scale strip I5 so its lower edge is aligned with the desired graduation 5. In the drawing, the scale strip is now aligned with the numeral 2 meaning that the height letter is 1/2 a standard height letter for which the device is designed to work, which standard height may be a 7/8 inch letter. The arm I is swung vertical so that line il extends through the left hand graduation I9 on scale strip I5. The scale member l is positioned so line 4 on arm 2 extends through the left hand graduation of group 8.

*With the device in the above position the operator now counts the number of normal width letters, excluding the space and the 'W, I s, M s, and the space. Thus there are found to be seven of these letters. rIhe arm 2 is then swung to the right until line #i extends through the intersection of a line 29 that is inscribed on inember 'I and that extends normal to the graduation designated 7 in group 8.

The operator then counts the number of I s and the space, which is found to be four. The scale member 'I is slid tc the left until the line Il extends through the intersection of the left hand graduation in group 9 and the line 29, and then the arm 2 is swung still further to the right until the line 4 extends through the intersecting point of graduation in group 9 numbered e and the line 20.

The operator next counts the M s and Ws, iinding that there are three of these. Member I is again shifted to the left until line ll on arm 2 passes through the intersection between the left hand graduation in group III on scale member I and the line 20, after which the arm 2 is again swung still further to the right so that line l passes through the intersection between the graduation designated 3 in group IIJ and the line 29.

It will now be found that the line 4 will pass through the lower end of the graduation on the scale strip I5 that is designated 6, which would indicate that the name WILLIAM MILLER would require a space 51,4; inches long at the height of the letter indicated by the graduation 5 that is aligned with the upper edge of the scale strip I5.

Obviously the numbers used to designate the graduations 5 may be directly given in the height of the letters. Also the graduations on strip I5 may be designated for the metric system, and there may be other groups indicated on member I for other spacings, such as where upper and lower case letters are used.

The reading point on scale member or on scale strip I5 may be dots or crosses or any other type than merely the graduation lines and their points of intersection with either line 20 or with an edge of the strip. These are matters that can readily be changed to suit the particular desires of the users, and in no manner modify the invention inasmuch as the principle is the same and the manner of manipulation and results are the same.

The aforesaid detailed description, and the drawings, are not to be considered restrictive of the invention, but are merely illustrative thereof.

Iclaim:

A calculator of the character described comprising a plate provided along one edge with spaced graduations in a straight row respectively identified by indicia indicating different letter sizes, an elongated scale member slidably supported on said plate in a position extending at right angles to said row adjacent one end of the said row for movement longitudinally of said member, said scale member having a plurality of groups of corresponding numbers thereon dirposed in a single row extending longitudinally of said row, the numbers in each group being uniformly spaced apart but the numbers in different groups being diierently spaced from each other, and graduation marks adjacent each of the said numbers in said groups, a scale strip supported on said plate in a position extending across said row at right angles thereto for movement transversely of its length and longitudinally of said row, graduations on said strip disposed in a row extending longitudinally thereof and symbols identifying said latter graduations, an arm pivotally secured to said plate at the end of said first mentioned row of graduations opposite said scale member and extending across both said scale member and said scale strip for reading graduations on either said scale member or said scale strip at points of intersection by said arm.

WILLIAM A. WARTINEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS lumber Name Date 324,078 Bulloch Aug. 11, 1885 879,178 Kelly Feb. 18, 1908 1,553,683 Furbish Sept. 15, 1925 1,560,599 Moler Nov. 10, 1925 2,300,401 Basler et al Nov. 3, 1942 

